Breaking Barriers and Creating Inclusiveness: Lessons of Organizational Transformation to Advance Women Faculty in Academic

Science and Engineering

Diana BilimoriaSimy Joy

Xiang fen Liang

Case Western Reserve University

In press, Human Resource Management, to appear in September 2008

2

Purpose

To qualitatively describe the emerging organizational transformation experience of 19 US universities, funded in the first two rounds of NSF’s ADVANCE IT program, that have aimed to increase the participation of female faculty in all S&E ranks and in leadership

To develop a generalized framework for how organizations can enable gender equity through transforming their structures and cultures

3

Background - Women in Academic S&E

The lack of women’s representation and inclusion, particularly in senior positions, remains a problem for academic S&E (c.f., Valian, 1999; Etzkowitz, Kemelgor & Uzi, 2000; Burke & Mattis, 2007; Stewart, Malley, & LaVaque-Manty, 2007)

Systematic, historical, and widespread inequities (in representation and inclusion) persist at every stage of the academic pipeline: hiring, tenure, promotion, and leadership (Ginther & Kahn, 2006; National Academies’ Report Beyond Bias and Barriers).

4

Background - The Leaky Pipeline of Women’s Representation in Academic S&E

Women in non-tenure track positions’ experience

Women in Academic Science & Engineering

Receiving PhD

Entering a tenure-track position as Assistant

Professor Promotion to

Professor Rank Advancement to

leadership

Tenure and/or Promotion to

Associate Professor Rank

Pre-tenure women’s

experience

Tenured women’s

experience

Academic pipeline for women

Tenured women ‘s

experience

Adapted from Mason et al, 2005

5

Background - The Experience of Women Faculty in S&E

Women in non-tenure track positions:

may rarely be provided opportunities for professional advancement

may not have their performance regularly reviewed or rewarded

may rarely find their positions converted to full-time or tenure track and rarely receive priority consideration when they are

may be shut out of the faculty governance processes by the institutions that appoint them (American Association of University Professors, 1996).

Women in tenure track positions:

experience isolation, have fewer role models and mentors and have to work harder than their male colleagues to gain credibility and respect (e.g., Liang & Bilimoria, 2007; Rosser, 2004)

report lower satisfaction with their academic jobs than do male faculty (e.g., Bilimoria et al., 2006; Callister, 2006).

6

NSF ADVANCE IT

To stem the leaks and eradicate the barriers described above, in 2001 NSF initiated the ADVANCE Institutional Transformation (IT) program for increasing the participation and contributions of women in the S&E workforce (www.nsf.gov/advance)

ADVANCE IT awards were instituted to fund innovative programs to result in the “full participation of women in all levels of faculty and academic administration, particularly at the senior academic ranks, through the transformation of institutional practices, policies, climate and culture”

(National Science Foundation, 2005)

7

Methods

We analyzed the websites, annual reports, publications, and research & evaluation reports of 19 universities funded by NSF ADVANCE

We also drew on interviews with 54 ADVANCE project team leaders and senior faculty at these universities about the nature and outcomes of their efforts (Bilimoria & Valian Presentation at 2006 NSF ADVANCE PI Meeting, Washington, DC)

8

Institutions Studied: 19 NSF ADVANCE IT (1st and 2nd Round) Awardees

Case Western Reserve University (http://www.case.edu/admin/aces/) Columbia University’s Earth Sciences Institute (http://

www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu/advance/index.html) Georgia Institute of Technology (http://www.advance.gatech.edu/) Hunter College, City University of New York (http://

www.hunter.cuny.edu/genderequity/) Kansas State University (http://www.k-state.edu/) New Mexico State University (http://www.nmsu.edu/~advprog/) University of Alabama at Birmingham (http://main.uab.edu/) University of California, Irvine (http://advance.uci.edu/) University of Colorado, Boulder (http://advance.colorado.edu/) University of Maryland, Baltimore County

(http://www.umbc.edu/advance/index.html) University of Michigan (http://sitemaker.umich.edu/advance/home) University of Montana (http://pace.dbs.umt.edu/) University of Puerto Rico, Humacao (http://cuhwww.upr.clu.edu/~advance/) University of Rhode Island (http://linux.wdg.uri.edu/adv_redir/) University of Texas, El Paso (http://academics.utep.edu/Default.aspx?

alias=academics.utep.edu/nsfadvance) University of Washington (http://www.engr.washington.edu/advance/) University of Wisconsin, Madison (http://wiseli.engr.wisc.edu/) Utah State University (http://websites.usu.edu/advance/) Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University

(http://www.advance.vt.edu/)

9

Findings (1) - Transformational Initiatives UndertakenPipeline Initiatives, aimed at:

increasing the inflow of women into the pipeline improving the institutional structures and

processes related to academic career transition points (recruitment, tenure, promotion, leadership)

better equipping women to successfully progress in the pipeline

Climate Initiatives, aimed at: improving the awareness and practices of male

colleagues through education, training, and development

engaging in efforts to make departments (micro-climates) more collegial, egalitarian, equitable and transparent

increasing organizational awareness of diversity and inclusion issues

10

Increasing Organizational AwarenessAdvisory councils on women & minoritiesInformation sessions & presentations Conferences, leadership retreats Distinguished lectureships by senior womenGender awareness training for studentsInteractive theater presentationsPublicizing family-friendly policies

Improving the Awareness and Practices of Male ColleaguesProfessional development & trainingInformational lecture seriesMentorship educationLeadership development coachingFaculty awardsGrassroots committees and taskforces

Improving Departmental (Micro) ClimateDepartment transformation programsFunding for departmental transformation projectsAssistance to department strategic planningDepartment-specific seminars/workshopsTraining and presentations to department chairsCoaching department chairs & senior facultyCross-departmental committees

Increasing the Flow into the Pipeline

For non-tenure track faculty- Research funds- Mentoring, coaching- Career developmentFor undergraduates, graduates & post-docs- Special programs for academic career tracks- Scholarships- Summer research experiences - Mentoring- Mentoring training for faculty advisors- Information & networking sessionsFor high school students- Specially developed science & math courses- Introductory program into engineering

Academic Climate

Academic Pipeline for Women

Receiving PhD

Entering a tenure-track position as assistant

professor

Promotion to professor rank

Advancement to leadership

Tenure and/or promotion to

associate professor rank

Women in non-tenure

track positions’ experience

Pre-tenure women’s

experience

Tenured women’s

experience

Tenured women’s

experience

Improving Institutional Structures & Processes Related to Transition Points Equipping Women to Successfully Progress in the Pipeline

RecruitmentSpecial committees to study and help with recruitmentAssistance to search committees in identifying and meeting with candidatesTraining to search committees on potential biases and best practicesFunding for targeted recruitmentDual career hiring policies & practicesTools & resources for search committees

Promotion, Tenure, Retention & Advancement to Leadership

Special committees to study processes of P&TTools & training for decision makers on evaluation biases & best practicesInformation sessions for faculty to increase transparency in decision makingSpecial consultants and mentors for women reaching promotion/tenureTenure extension policies

Pre-tenure WomenCareer development programsProfessional/academic training and development related to teaching, research, lab & student supervision, work-life integration, leadership Informational lecture seriesMentoring, coachingProviding role modelsNetworkingFunding for research & career advancementShowcasing women scholars

Tenured WomenLeadership development programsProfessional/academic training and development MentoringFunded professorshipsFunding for research and career developmentSpecial funding and programs for re-starting research after a hiatusShowcasing women leaders

Pipeline Initiatives

Climate Initiatives

11

Illustrative Examples of Coaching, Mentoring and Faculty Development Programs

NSF ADVANCE Institution

Activities Mentoring ProcessAssessment &

Evaluation

Case Western Reserve Universitywww.case.edu/admin/aces/coaching.htm

Executive coaching; Hotline coaching

A professional executive coach provides performance- and career- related advice to women faculty, chairs, and deans. A coaching hotline was set up to deal with emergent issues.

Executive coaching receives consistently high annual evaluations of coaching effectiveness.

Kansas State Universitywww.k-state.edu/advance/Initiatives/college_veterinary.htm

Parallel Paths began in early 2004 with two seminars and one retreat.

A group-based mentoring program: those who volunteered to be a part of the program were assigned to two groups, called Prides. The Prides have been meeting once a month to explore and discuss a variety of faculty issues.

Major outcomes include mentoring of faculty during monthly meetings, development of teaching awards for the faculty, funding of projects.

New Mexican State Universitywww.nmsu.edu/%7Eadvprog/mentoring.htm

ADVANCE mentoring program for STEM faculty: a peer mentoring program

Junior faculty are paired with senior faculty in different but related departments. Meeting once a month and regular informal social gathering are expected.

NA

University of Texas at EL Pasowww.dmc.utep.edu/mentoring/

Faculty mentoring program for women

Based on mutual interest, new women faculty are assigned to two mentors: one from within their college and once from another college. At least one mentor is a woman. Since fall 2004, the mentoring program moved toward team mentoring: two mentors are assigned a small group of new faculty for 18 months

NA

University of Washingtonwww.engr.washington.edu/advance/mentoring/index.html

Mentoring women for academic leadership; Mentoring women graduate students; Mentoring pre-tenure faculty.

For pre-tenure faculty, a group mentoring program occurs at a peer level and across ranks with activities including informal lunches, topical workshops and other opportunities to share resources and information.

NA

University of Wisconsin-Madisonhttp://wiseli.engr.wisc.edu/initiatives/wfmp/wfmp_main.htm

Women Faculty Mentoring Program

Senior women faculty from an outside department but within the same division voluntarily serve as mentors for junior women.

NA

12

Findings (2) – Institutionalizing the Transformation

New Structures, Positions, and Groups: e.g., new positions such as ombudspersons, equity advisors, endowed chairs, institutional researchers, and provosts/deans for faculty development and diversity; family-friendly structures, such as child care facilities and lactation centers for nursing mothers

New and Modified Policies: e.g., tenure clock extension, dual-career hiring, job sharing, work release policies (such as maternity/paternity leave in case of child birth or adoption; family medical leave in case of sickness of any member of the family, including parents) and family-friendly benefits policies (e.g., domestic partner health benefits)

Adoption of Change Initiatives as Regular Organizational Processes: e.g., institutionalization of special funding programs, leadership development programs, and mentoring programs

Tool Kits, Guidelines, and Resources for Improved Practices: e.g., systematic documentation of best practices in the form of tool kits, guidelines, best practice guides, evaluation forms, training manuals, presentations, and pamphlets (see http://research.cs.vt.edu/advance/index.htm)

13

Illustrative Examples of New Structures, Policies, and Procedures

NSF ADVANCE Institution New Structures, Policies, and Procedures

Case Western Reserve Universitywww.case.edu/admin/aces/

3 new endowed chairs for women faculty in S&E; Assistant Dean of Faculty Development and Diversity in the School of Medicine, Associate Dean of Faculty Development in Case School of Engineering, a diversity specialist position in the Provost’s Office; a research analyst position in the Institutional Research office; a graduate student position in the FSM Center for Women; creation or revision of university faculty policies including automatic pre-tenure extension and work release policies

New Mexico State Universitywww.nmsu.edu/%7Eadvprog/faculty.htm

Dual career couples: New Mexico State University and the University of Texas at EI Paso support efforts to accommodate the needs of dual career couples. Job sharing arrangement may be established when two people are in the same academic department.

University of Alabama at Birminghamhttp://main.uab.edu/sites/ADVANCE/87552/

Family-friendly leave policies: family and medical leaves of absence; personal leave of absence, sick leave and emergency absences

University of California, Irvinehttp://advance.uci.edu/

Family Policies: Career partner program; The UC faculty family friendly edge; UC family friendly policies for faculty and other academic appointees.

University of Rhode Islandhttp://ww2.wdg.uri.edu:81/testsite/index.php?adv_work

Dual career partners: Proposed dual career guidelines; Parental leave policy; Tenure clock extensions; Child care

University of Washingtonwww.engr.washington.edu/advance/policies/index.html

Policy transformation: Recommendations to Chairs for Facilitating Dual Career Hires; Family leave and tenure clock extension; Dual Career Hires; Part-Time Faculty policies

Utah State Universityhttp://websites.usu.edu/advance/Document/index.asp?Parent=6257

Dual Career Committee; Dual Career Accommodation Protocol: Inform candidates about dual career opportunities; Request dual career accommodation; Identify possibilities for accommodation; Contact target units; Evaluate and interview the potential candidate; Negotiate a financial package; Write a request letter to the executive vice president and provost; Receive confirmation letter from executive vice president and provost; Make an employment offer.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universitywww.worklife.vt.edu/

Child care; Stop-the-clock policy: Meetings with department heads aim to develop better understanding of the policy and to encourage more consistent implementation.

14

Findings (3) - Factors Facilitating Transformation

Internal Factors Senior administrative support and involvement Widespread collaborative leadership and

synergistic partnerships Clear vision, flexible path, and milestones Visibility of actions and outcomes (small wins

strategies)

External NSF funding Cohort of NSF ADVANCE peer universities (best

practice sharing)

15

Findings (4) – Research and Evaluation in Support of TransformationSystematic efforts to:

Track Key Indicators of Representation, Equity, and Inclusion: e.g., NSF ADVANCE indicators, additional monitoring tools as cohort analyses and flux charts.

Conduct Faculty Climate Studies: e.g., climate surveys, interview and focus group studies, resource equity studies

Conduct Benchmarking Studies of leading departments and universities

Evaluate Programmatic Interventions Strengthen the Institutional Research Infrastructure

(Improve Internal Collection, Analysis, and Use of Data): e.g., templates for faculty databases, initial resources for database creation and maintenance, just-in-time training tools for more equitable personnel decision making, and presentations of analyses and recommendations to senior administrators

16

Key Indicators of Women’s Representation, Resource Equity, and Inclusion

NSF ADVANCE Indicator Shows …

1. Total # and % of women faculty in S&E by rank and department 2. # and % of women faculty in tenure-line positions by rank and department

… the representation of women at various transition points in the S&E pipeline

3. Tenure and promotion outcomes by gender 4. Years in rank by gender

…the extent to which tenure and promotion processes are free from gender bias

5 (a) Time at institution and (b) Attrition by gender … the leaks in the pipeline

6. # of women in S&E who are in non-tenure-track positions (teaching and research)

… the representation of women in off-track positions

7. # and % of women S&E faculty in administrative positions8. # of women S&E faculty in endowed/named chairs9. # and % of women S&E faculty on promotion and tenure committees, and executive committees

… the representation of women in leadership and positions of influence

10. Salary of S&E faculty by gender (controlling for department, rank, years in rank)11. Space allocation of S&E faculty by gender (with additional controls such as department, etc.)12. Start-up packages of newly hired S&E faculty by gender (with additional controls such as field, department, rank, etc.)

…if resource allocation is equitable

17

Illustrative Examples of Climate Surveys and Findings

NSF ADVANCE Institution

Respondents Measures Major Findings

Case Western Reserve University (2004)www.case.edu/admin/aces/

39% response rate (508/1303)

Quality of colleagueship and support in primary unit, support for work-life integration, effectiveness of chair/dean, mentoring, resource allocation processes, satisfaction

Women faculty feel less valued and included in their primary unit in comparison to men and report lower ratings of effective departmental leadership; junior faculty and women faculty perceive that compensation and non-research supports are less equitably distributed than their senior and male colleagues perceive; women faculty are less satisfied with their overall job experience than are men faculty.

Georgia Institute of Technology(2002-03) www.advance.gatech.edu/measure.html

76% response rate

Teaching and research, work environments, evaluative processes, and work-family arrangements and experiences.

Men are more likely to speak daily about research, more likely to report willingness of faculty to collaborate, and more likely to characterize their home units as “exciting”, “helpful”, and “creative”. The most significant gender difference is “helpfulness.”

University of Colorado, Boulder (2003)advance.colorado.edu/research.html

78% response rate (449/575)

Interpersonal relations, collegiality, chair leadership, mentoring, institutional support, and diversity

Tenure track men have a more favorable rating of interpersonal relations than women; women are more likely than men to believe that diversity is important; tenure track men rate their chairs higher than women.

University of Michigan (2002)sitemaker.umich.edu/advance/reports__publications__and_grant_proposals

38% response rate (536/1398)

Career experiences and satisfactions, productivity, recognition, resources (effort and satisfaction), mentoring, service, stereotyping, discrimination, sexual harassment …

Men and women scientists & engineers differ in the amount of effort it takes to secure resources such as office space, research space, and lab equipment. Women scientists & engineers were less likely than their male counterparts to rate their departmental climate as supportive, less likely than both men scientists & engineers and women social scientists to rate their departmental climate as tolerant of diversity, and their department gender atmosphere as egalitarian.

Utah State University(2004-05)http://websites.usu.edu/advance/Document/index.asp?Parent=6308

74% response rate (308/416)

Empowerment, access to information, isolation, intention to quit, job satisfaction

Women reported lower levels of job satisfaction, empowerment, and access to information and higher intentions to quit and feelings of isolation. Affective and instrumental department climate mediate the relationship between gender and both job satisfaction and quit intentions

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2005)www.advance.vt.edu/Measuring_Progress/Faculty_Survey_2005/Faculty_Survey.htm

Total participants: 1209

Faculty recruitment, job satisfaction, policy, administration, leadership, and general climate with regard to diversity

Women and men differ in their perceptions of women and minority leadership and representation. More females (78.3%) than males (48.9%) feel that there are too few women and minorities in leadership positions; overall campus climate was rated fairly favorably, but departmental climates varied significantly.

18

Findings (5) – Transformational Outcomes

% Increase in 3-5 years

Assistant Professors

(Junior Rank) (n=13)

Associate Professors

(Middle Rank) (n=13)

Professors (Senior Rank)

(n=13)

Leadership Roles (n=11)

Total Number of Female Faculty (n=13)

1-9% 2 1 1 1

10-19% 3 3 2 2 20-29% 2 3 4 1 3 30-39% 2 2 3 40-49% 1 2 2 50-59% 2 1 1 60-69% 1 70-79% 1

80-100% 1 >100% 1 1 2

Total # of universities reporting %

increase 10 10 12 7 12

No Change 2 1

% Decrease 3 1 4 1

Number of Universities Reporting Changes in the Representation of Women in the S&E Tenure Track Pipeline since NSF ADVANCE IT Program Implementation (3-5 years)

19

A Model of Institutional Transformation for Gender Equity and Inclusion

Factors Facilitating Transformation

Internal - Senior administrative support and involvement - Widespread collaborative leadership and synergistic partnerships - Clear vision, flexible path, and milestones - Visibility of actions and outcomes External - NSF funding - Cohort of NSF ADVANCE peer institutions

Institutionalizing the Transformation

- Creating new structures, positions and groups - Implementing new and modified policies - Incorporating successful change initiatives - Creating tool kits and guidelines, and providing resources for improved practices

Transformational Initiatives To Remove Inequities and Create

Inclusiveness

Pipeline Initiatives: - Increasing the flow into the pipeline - Improving organizational structures and processes related to key career transition points

Recruitment Promotion Advancement to leadership

- Equipping women and minorities to successfully progress in the pipeline

Career stage-specific inputs Organizational Climate Initiatives: - Improving the awareness and practices of male colleagues and decision makers - Improving departmental (micro) climates - Increasing organization-level attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion issues

Research & Evaluation in Support of Transformation

- Tracking Key Indicators of Representation, Equity, and Inclusion - Benchmarking and Climate Studies - Evaluation of Interventions - Improving Internal Collection, Analysis, and Use of Data

Transformation Outcomes

- Increased representation of women and minorities at all ranks and in leadership - Equitable, inclusive and energizing workplace for all

20

Conclusions - Enabling Equity Requires Comprehensive Organizational Transformation

Simplistic or piecemeal solutions cannot eradicate systematic, historical, and widespread gender inequities

Organizations need to implement wider and deeper change, systematically transforming structures, processes, work practices, and mental models that perpetuate inequity

In the process of such transformation, the workplace becomes supportive and motivating for all its employees, not just women and other minority groups

Supporting literature: McCracken, 2000; Meyerson & Fletcher, 2000; Thomas & Ely, 1996

21

Characteristics of Environments That Enable Gender Equity and Inclusion

Work structures and cultural norms that support positive relations between men and women

Freedom from stereotyping about women’s and men’s roles and occupations

Work conditions (e.g., job titles, work schedules, policies, and physical environment) that include and value both men and women

A critical mass of women Opportunities for reward and advancement

based on qualifications, performance and talent, not gender

Work policies and structures that support work-life integration

Modified from McLean, D. (2003). Workplaces that work: Creating a workplace culture that attracts, retains and promotes women. Report for the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Advancement. Ontario: The Conference Board of Canada. http://www.womensdirectorate.gov.yk.ca/pdf/workplaces_that_work.pdf

22

Lessons from NSF ADVANCE IT for Universities Seeking Gender Equity Comprehensive institutional change to promote gender equity and

inclusiveness requires simultaneous multi-impact initiatives. Universities must tackle transformation at multiple levels at the same time. Hence, awareness creation, skill building, empowerment, leadership development, process improvements, policy modifications, and structural changes need to occur simultaneously.

Create and support a transformation team composed of senior faculty leaders and administrators to comprehensively tackle the issues of women’s under-representation

Such a team can help align and deploy the internal and external factors that facilitate transformation, as identified in the model

Universities should systematically engage in a combination of top-down and grassroots change efforts, targeting the removal of barriers constraining women at specific transition points in the S&E pipeline and improving the macro- and micro-academic climates in which female faculty work. As the ADVANCE IT experience highlights, special initiatives and activities encouraging the partnership of men in gender equity changes at all hierarchical levels must be undertaken.

Resources for institutionalizing successful and stable initiatives, as determined by institution-specific research and evaluation, must be made available

Gender equity data should be tracked and research findings shared regularly among decision makers. System-wide efforts must be undertaken across academic S&E to develop and institutionalize the data collection and reporting practices that ADVANCE IT efforts have suggested are instrumental for transformation in academic institutions

Increase dissemination of information on gender equity resources to employees and others by using multiple communications channels

23

Limitations Data limitations –

– not all activities and outcomes may have been available on websites and reports.

– Data were collected in 2006-07; thus the time frame may have been too short to fully assess changes in the inclusion experiences of women S&E faculty, especially in 2nd cohort institutions

– Since the interventions were conducted, by and large, simultaneously within each ADVANCE institution without careful attention to experimental conditions, manipulations, or controls, our review could not tease out which solutions worked better than others

Analysis limitations – – Variations in time frame for outcomes and variations in

the baseline representation of women faculty in S&E among institutions posed difficulties in assessing transformation outcomes

24

Future Research Since the interventions were conducted, by and

large, simultaneously within each ADVANCE institution without careful attention to experimental conditions, manipulations, or controls, our review could not tease out which solutions worked better than others. Future empirical research should attempt to identify the specific circumstances and structures needed for effective gender equity solutions within a comprehensive change project

Future research should more specifically address the role of external facilitating factors (funding agencies, accrediting agencies, peer institutions) in university transformation

Sustainability of outcomes achieved needs to be studied more carefully by future research